From the opening whistle, the Golden Grizzlies football club set the tone of their season with their defense and offense working in tandem to control the game, and ultimately secure a victory.
“It felt great,” Head Coach Brett Jacobs said. “A lot of leaders on this team experienced a lot of adversity last season. These returners put in hard work all offseason including team workouts starting in January and summer workouts starting in May. This win was very satisfying, they got to see all the hard work pay off.”
This win represents a turning point for OU’s club football program, which has steadily built a competitive team since its formation. There was a constant rotation of players throughout the game due to limited depth on their roster.
“The fans and support mean a lot to the guys, in our situation going 1-5 last year really affected our crowd presence,” senior Vincent Johns Jr. said. “This year I want to do my best to help the team win because that’s all that matters to me at the end of the day. We have great coaches, they prepared us for this game by breaking down film for us and using that to game sim those same plays within practice so we knew what to expect.”
The team prepared by putting their focus on practice two weeks prior to the game. The shift in mentality was clear on the field against Lansing. Players weren’t just playing to win — they were playing with a sense of purpose.
“There are obviously still a lot of things to clean up but this game gave us a glimpse of what kind of team we can be, a winning one,” freshman Blake Jahn said. “It is always good to start off with a win, but we are already focusing on our next matchup against Wright State.”
The result of the team’s first game was a more focused, unified performance — a complete contrast to the struggles they faced last year. With a renewed mindset and the momentum of their first win, the team is more confident than ever about the season ahead.
“The team mindset for this game was leaving behind the past,” Jacobs said. “We had to forget things that happened last season and play our game. Vincent Johns and Rockne Jacobs both had great games. Vince was a two way player with 69 yards receiving, 40 yards rushing and two offensive touchdowns, a 107 yard interception return touchdown (an OU club football record), two tackles, and a pass break up. Rockne had 128 yards passing and two rushing touchdowns.”
With the first win under their belt, the team will look to carry this momentum into the rest of the season. The Golden Grizzlies are set to face tougher competition in the coming weeks, but after a commanding start, the team has shown they are ready to rise to the challenge.
If you are interested in learning more about OU’s football club, visit their Instagram page @footballclubou, where they would be more than happy to answer any inquiries.
